Friday, June 27, 2008

Update on "Buster" and "Oliver"

"BUSTER" (June 26, 2008)

(L-R) DAPHY, BUSTER, and CLEO (1994) (Strays someone threw away! There were 5 kittens and the mama cat. Can you imagine that? I took them all in and found them homes. Just pitiful!!! I took Daphy and Cleo back at age 6 when their owner passed away in August 2000. Weren't they beautiful?)

"BUSTER" (1994) Those eyes of his just stole our hearts!

"BUSTER" (2008)

First of all, I want to thank all of you who have been praying for Buster. He's had a bad week, a really bad week! We have lost a lot of sleep over this little guy.

Sunday, my daughter was here and said that he wasn't looking so good this past week. She said she has noticed him losing weight the past month and that lately he wasn't eating much. Since his siblings, Daphy and Cleo both are diabetic, we thought maybe that was his problem, so I told her I would call first thing Monday morning for an appointment and take him in for a checkup.

"BUSTER"

He weighed in at 12.8 pounds, down from his normal 20+ pounds! He also had a full exam with bloodwork plus a urinalysis. Bloodwork showed his liver and kidneys to be within normal range. Upon examination, the vet felt a large mass in his abdomen. So she referred him to Upstate Veterinary Specialists, located in another city 25 miles away. This facilty accepts patients by referrals only. We have used this place many times before, most recently for radiation treatments for Sweet Pea and Punky, which I wrote about in earlier posts in March and April. They told me July 10th was the earliest appointment they could give me, and I said that the cat would be dead by then! She said she would see what she could do and get back to me. So the next morning, they checked with the vet here, (I imagine to see just how serious his condition really was.) The vet hospital here called to tell me that Upstate Veterinary Specialists would see him just as soon as we could get him there THAT morning. This was Tuesday. We were elated that they were working him in!!! (It may have helped that my children just spent close to $12,000 there on Sweet Pea and Punky a couple months ago!)

His bloodwork, etc. was faxed to them, so they evaluated the results, and then did an ultrasound on his abdomen. Bad news. He had a large mass on his liver, a bowel blockage (a tumor), dilated and diseased kidneys, and enlarged lymph nodes! So they planned to do a kidney dye test first thing Wednesday morning and then surgery after that. Well, he had vomited overnight, so they couldn't give him the dye for that test. So Wednesday afternoon, they did the surgery. The top surgeon, who founded and owns this wonderful facility, performed the surgery. He called me from the operating room to tell me what he found when he got him open. He said he didn't know if he would be able to remove all of the mass from the liver, as some of it was in a place that was hard to get to. He wasn't very optimistic. He wanted to know if I wanted him to proceed with the surgery anyhow and keep rolling, and I said, "Keep rolling."

Well, I am glad I made that decision now as he did get the entire mass removed, he resectioned the intestines, removed a lymph node for biopsy, and said the kidneys are diseased and dilated, but he thinks that problem can be controlled with antibiotics and a special diet.

In 2002, I had my Tuffy put to sleep on the operating table there, as he was full of cancer, and no hope for him as he couldn't remove all the cancer. This was before they started doing chemo and radiation at this place. This same surgeon had called me that day, also, from the operating room to tell me what he found once he got Tuffy open. Rather see Tuffy suffer anymore, I made the decision to have him put to sleep right there on the table. He was thin and weak and wasn't eating, so I knew he wasn't feeling very well even before his surgery.

It wasn't my place to make that decision for Buster, as he is my daughter's cat. It looks like he may have a decent chance now! If the mass on the liver had not been entirely removed, he said Buster would have 4-6 months to live. Maybe chemo is in the future, but we won't know until the biopsy reports come back. Surprisingly, cats do very well with chemo, I was told. They've had some in remission for 3 years!

"SWEET PEA"

Also, today was Sweet Pea's monthly checkup for her cancer/radiation. She checked out negative still! Next month, they will do chest x-rays as that is where her type of cancer is more likely to show up....if it returns.

While we were waiting on Sweet Pea to be examined, we got to visit Buster while we were there. When I said his name, he talked back to me like he always does. He looked better than we expected. He actually lifted his little head up for us. He may be able to come home today! But he will have to be caged to restrict his movements for awhile. I have a couple of large 2' X 4' pens that we will set up in my daughter's living room for him. He is not to do any jumping or stair climbing, so we have to cage him. Looks like I may be cat sitting for 3 days, (M-T-W) next week, and then she will be taking 12 days off, as she will be starting a new job on July 12th, I believe.

"BUSTER" (notice his eyes as you will see that he lifted his little head up)

NOW.....there is still MORE! I had an emergency tonight with one of my own cats! I noticed "OLIVER" wasn't acting like himself today when I got back from Greenville with Sweet Pea, but I thought it was because he and Teddy Bear had had a little scuffle, which has become almost a daily thing. So I really thought nothing of it.

So I went to my daughter's tonight and then stopped at the supermarket for a few things, arriving home around 9:30. I found Oliver in my bedroom laying, and then I saw little spots of blood all over my white carpeting. I checked him, and it was coming from his little neutered man part. I put him in my guest bathroom while I hurriedly fed the diabetic cats so I could give them their insulin shots on time. Then I put him in a carrier and off we went up the interstate to the Emergency Veterinary Clinic, which is open when the regular vets are closed. He received a thorough exam there. Diagnosis: a blockage in the urethra tube! So he had to have an emergency procedure right away. I came home around midnight, and the vet called me a little after 2. He managed to unblock him without any complications. This can be fatal for a cat, especially if the bladder ruptures.

"OLIVER" (2008)

So, I am staying up all night, as I have to be there at 7am to get him and then take him to my vet at 8am, where he will spend all day, and then back to the emergency clinic for the entire weekend! He has to have fluid therapy as now he has post renal failure caused by the stress of the bladder being overloaded. He said he is hoping to turn that around with the fluid therapy. I'll keep you posted!

So now Oliver needs your prayers, too. I've had a real "cat week" this week, and I am about worn out from it all, emotionally as well as physically. But this is all part of pet ownership...you have to take the bad along with the good. I am just so thankful that we have such a wonderful emergency clinic just 10 minutes away! They have saved quite a few of my cats over the years.

And to top it all off....it was 98 humid degrees here yesterday and 93 the day before, according to TV weather!

8 comments:

I don't know if you've ever read it on my blog, but Cecil and Ducky have worked for a vet for over 20 years each. Ducky is the office manager and the vet is an old family friend. Jessica worked there for a couple of years in high school too, and Ducky's daughter and granddaughter, my niece and great niece, also work there.

I've helped out there from time to time as a favor, no money exchanged hands, and Doc has helped me out a LOT over the years with my kitties.

I've bottle raised several kittens for them over the years, and fostered some others for them until they could find them homes or get more medical care for them.

Soooooo....I know all about kitty emergencies and such. I hope and pray that Buster recovers and that Oliver doesn't have any more crystals in his urine, bless their hearts.

Wow you sure have had a week of it haven't you?!!!! Isn't it wonderful that they have the emergency vet offices now? We also have one about 10 minutes away. So glad Buster made it through his operation and is doing well. I could see his little eyes in the cage! I hope Oliver does well too, it's so hard when our little furry friends are sick, we'd rather be sick for them wouldn't we? One of my friends has a kitty that is diabetic and he is 20 years old! He looks fabulous and she takes such good care of him, he even travels everywhere with them!

Oh, Nancy, you've had a platefull of problems these last few days! I would fall apart from worry. Did you get teary eyed when Buster lifted his little head when you talked to him? And poor, beautiful Oliver. I've had cats with that problem myself. Prayers will continue for them and for Sweet Pea as well. All your kitties are lucky to have a guardian angel as their mom.

Hi Nancy,You've had a really rough week and my heart just goes out to you, Buster and now Oliver.Hang in there my friend. Sounds like you have a wonderful vet and emergency clinic to handle times like this. I know that heat must be just miserable for you too.Try to get a bit of rest..xo

It is very nice to hear that you are getting your kitties taken care of. It's so wonderful to hear about people who care for animals and that take care of them. Bless you for having such a loving heart.

About Me

I am a divorced mother of two grown children, a daughter and a son. I work for my son's property management company, homesnearmickey.com, vacation rental homes near Disney World in Florida. I am an avid animal lover, allowing several cats to share my home, or maybe I should say they allow me to share THEIR home.

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PUNKIN

ROCKY

I MISS MY SIMON

DOB April 2003 (Lost him at 8 mos. of age due to kidney failure. Broke my heart!)

SIMON

Mar. 31, 2003-Dec. 24, 2003

MISS DOLLY AND BUDDY

Ferals now tamed

ROXY

DOB April 2005 (She was my dentist's cat. They had a grandbaby and another on the way, so I brought Roxy home on 4/3/07. She is my shadow as she doesn't let me out of her sight.)

OLIVER

DOB May 2004 (I got him from a girl in PetsMart in Jan. '05. She had a 19-mo. old baby, and her hubby said to get rid of the cat!)

CLEOPATRA (CLEO)

July 1994 - August 1, 2009

DAPHINIA (DAPHY)

DOB July 1994

DUDLEY

DOB March 2001

DUDLEY

DOB March 2001 (when I took him to work with me, as he was bottle fed from Day 1. He refused to nurse his mama.)

TEDDY BEAR

DOB March 2003 (He is just like a teddy bear, too!)

BUTCH

DOB April 2002 (He is my cuddler!)

BUTCH

DOB April 2002 (Nothing but skin & bones when he was found. The vet said he'd been separated from his mother at least a week. He didn't know if he'd make it through the night. But I fed him every 2 hours around the clock, and he's a big boy today!)

CUPCAKE

DOB April 2006 (Stray kitten that was living on my front porch, but she is now living indoors.)

CUPCAKE

Playing through the glass storm door with a couple of my other cats.

I'll keep posting more cat pics as time permits. Cleo and Daphy are sisters (litter mates) and both are diabetic, having to have insulin shots every 12 hours. I had given them away as kittens, and then the gentleman who had them passed away 6 years later, so I took them back, rather than see them go to the shelter and be separated. There are a lot more cat pics to be posted. I may put them in a slide show once I get them altogether!

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MY CHILDREN, Tammy and Timmy

TAMMY

TIM

Tim and Tammy

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My Grandma used to say...

It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.

The time to make friends is before you need them.

Kindness is the oil that takes the friction out of life.

Our duty is not to see through one another, but to see one another through.

Keep your words soft and sweet...you never know when you're going to have to eat them.

Getting back on the right track usually involves getting out of a rut.

If you want to feel rich, just count all the things money can't buy.

No matter how much frosting you put on a bad cake, it's still a bad cake.

When there's work to be done, turn up your sleeves, not your nose.

Age is not important unless you're a cheese.

God will lighten your load or strengthen your back.

What should not be heard by little ears should not be said by big mouths.

To understand a man, you must know his memories.

When a man gets too big for his breeches, his hat won't fit, either!

He who stoops to help a child, stands tall.

Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears.

Instead of pointing a critical finger, try holding out a helping hand.

A real estate bargain is when you get good neighbors.

Cheer up! Birds have bills, too, but they keep singing.

It's better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.

There are no strangers in the world...only friends you haven't met yet.

A halo has to fall only a few inches to become a noose.

Even a bed of roses has thorns.

The soul would have no rainbow if the eye had no tear.

Oil the gates of success with courtesy.

Home...be it ever so humble. It's no place to grumble.

The trouble with many people in trying times is they quit trying.

Advice is like snow. The softer it falls, the deeper it goes.

A mother's heart is a child's schoolroom.

Children are the living messages we send to a time we won't see.

If you want your dreams to come true, don't oversleep.

People seldom get dizzy from doing good turns.

Experience is what you've got when you're too old to get a job.

Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see.

Remember, a diamond is nothing more than a piece of coal that has been hard pressed for a long time.

Talk is the activity of the mouth. Listening is the activity of the heart.

Happiness is not getting what you want, but wanting what you have.

Elbow grease gives the best polish.

Never return a kindness...pass it on!

Memories are a family album filled with images and dreams.

Instead of putting others in their place, try putting yourself in their place.

The real measure of your wealth is how much you'd be worth if you lost all your money.

Bigger snacks mean bigger slacks.

Good, better, best. Never let it rest til good is better and the better best.

An apology is a good way to have the last word.

You can remember the past, but you can't live in it.

Better late than never, but never late is better.

If you're yearning for the good old days, just turn off the air conditioning.

Nothing...the best thing to buy when you want to save money.

The best gifts are tied with heartstrings.

You cannot do a kindness too soon, because you never know when it will be too late.

There are two lasting things we give our children...one is roots, the other is wings.

In the midst of everything, take time to love, laugh and play. Then life will be worth living, each and every day.